Thorn:A Sleeping Beauty After Tale
by Chihiro1088
Summary: What happened after Sleeping Beauty? Aurora and her husband were mysteriously killed, leaving their young 17 year old daughter, Danis, to take care of the kingdom by herself. As a mysterious new princess arrives, everything seems to get twisted and nothing is right. Exactly what happened is a mystery that needs to be figured out.
1. Chapter 1

Scarlett

It had been exactly one week since Queen Aurora's daughter, Princess Danis, had become the new queen. Scarlett had never liked her. Princess Danis was exactly one year younger than Scarlett. With her long, flawless auburn hair and bright, orange eyes, she was as majestic as nature and fire and water combined. Scarlett was the opposite. She had shoulder-length, jet-black hair and eyes a gray so dark it almost looked black. Now she was queen, and, to make things worse, she was engaged to Prince Earin. Scarlett had secretly been in love with him since she was 15 and now, within one year, they were to be married! Scarlett angrily stomped through mud puddles until she finally found the old well she always got her water from. While Scarlett was always struggling to survive, Danis was pleasantly living comfortably in her lush palace. Scarlett's clothes were caked with dirt and so tattered that there were holes all through her dress. Why did Queen Aurora have to drink that poison?! You would think that one would learn her lesson after falling asleep for a hundred years! "I just hope that that evil fairy tricks Danis into drinking poison as well," Scarlett thought. Nothing was ever fair for Scarlett. Her parents died when she was 14 and that had left her as a struggling orphan always hanging on the end of the rope when it came to surviving. Her only inspiration for not giving up on a happy life was Prince Earin. But now her fantasy life was crushed, and it was all Princess Danis' fault! As Scarlett angrily stomped into the next mud puddle, her foot sunk deep, and she found herself falling into a cave of darkness and mud.

Danis

Danis slipped her skinny wrist through the golden bangles and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like a queen-flawless beauty and a face ready to command any order. She looked happy; she was always surrounded by precious gems and rooms of gold, canopy beds so large, you sink into the mattress when you go to sleep- but she wasn't. Her heart was filled with more sorrow than what she could take. her father had died when she was only 9, and now, her mother was gone too. To make things worse, she was going to be forced to marry Prince Earin in a year. Sure, he was handsome, but she didn't know a thing about him! He could turn out to be an awful person! Sometimes, Danis even thought about running away-away from this madness of royalty and death. Oh, what she would give to trade places with someone else! "No," she thought. "I am the queen and I have responsibilities to handle and a kingdom to run!" She slowly walked out of her room to the grand meeting room where she would discuss plans on politics. Being queen had to be the most boring and difficult job in the entire kingdom!

Scarlett

When Scarlett first looked up, she saw nothing, but darkness. Then, she started to see swirling purple lights. The lights slowly started to take the form of a castle with a flag as tattered as her clothes. On the flag, was one single creature. A dragon. Scarlett started to run as fast as she could, looking for a way to escape the doom that lay before her. She was in the dark fairy's territory! She ran without thinking, without looking; she had one goal: to get out. All of a sudden she ran right smack into a soft black cloak, covered with purple swirls. It was the dark fairy. "Calm down child, I have no means to hurt you." Scarlett could do nothing, but gape in awe. "I have a proposal for you. You want to become a princess and live the life you've always wanted. I can't make your prince fall in love with you and guarantee your happiness, but I can make you a princess nevertheless. A simple nod will do." Scarlett did not know what to do, nor what was happening. Her brain had only calculated two words- _you_ and _princess_. Her heart told her to say no, but she could think of nothing more than her own selfishness and greed. She slowly nodded her head. "Then it is done."

 **Note:**

 **Thank you so much for reading my very first story! I hope you enjoyed it! All comments are appreciated and chapter 2 will be coming out soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

Scarlett

Purple lights swarmed all around Scarlett as she floated back up, to the well. First, her raggedy, old dress transformed into a beautiful, dark red and black ball gown with bows on the bodice and fringe on all sides of the poofy skirt. Then, her dark hair grew long, all the way down to her waist. Lastly, a beautiful, black crown with rubies embedded in it, appeared on her head. When she looked in the mirror, however, she found out that her eyes were still the same bland grey color. "Look down at your feet," the evil fairy commanded. Scarlett pulled up her dress a little and looked down at her feet. Her shoes were black and studded with rubies, but thorns sprouted from those shoes and wrapped around her legs. "How will I take them off? "You cannot. As long as you are Princess Scarletara Kanebara, these shoes will remain on your feet. "As long as I am who? "Scarlett is a name for a commoner, if you wish to become a princess, one of the steps is to have a name of royalty." The dark fairy passed Scarlett a thick book containing royal names. As she skimmed through it, one particular name caught her eye. _Renasa Argimes_. "A fine choice," the dark fairy said, reading her mind. Scarlett liked the name, but Renasa Argimes seemed to large for her. "I want my name to be Ren," she said. "What a peculiar name. I suppose that can do, though." With a single smash of the dark fairy's staff, Ren found herself inside a building that could be no other than a castle.

Danis

"Ugggggggh," Danis moaned. Politics were such a bore. One would think being a queen was the best thing on earth, but it wasn't! She had been spending every day of her life doing work even when she was a princess. Danis tiredly slipped off her shoes, jumped in her bed, and started brushing her long hair. She wanted to get it cut, but she knew that wasn't allowed. Suddenly, she got up, took a pair of scissors, and started cutting her hair. She cut and cut until her knee-length hair became slightly longer than shoulder-length. Next, she cut all her long, tailed dresses to knee-length. When she was done, she exasperatedly got back into her bed and thought about what she just did. _What did she do?_ Danis glanced at her closet and felt her hair; she was going to be in big trouble when she woke up the next day.

Danis

Danis stepped out of her room expecting to get a major scolding. Instead, she stepped out of her room, and into a large crowd. There was a line longer than any line Danis had ever seen; it seeped through all the halls of the palace and into the royal addressing room. When Danis started striding her way to the addressing room, the crowd became silent. "What is all this about," she demanded. A villager piped up, "A new princess was discovered just an hour ago!" _What? That wasn't possible. A princess cant just randomly come out of nowhere._


	3. Chapter 3

Danis

As Danis stepped into the addressing room, she saw a young girl that couldn't be much older than Danis sitting in the queen's chair.

"Excuse me, that's my chair."

"That's funny-I didn't see your name on it."

"How dare you mock the queen! I don't care what kind of mystery princess you are-I am the queen and you dare not defy me!"

The girl stuck her chin up in the air and straightened her back. "My name is Ren. I am a princess as much as you are queen; I took a blood test.

Danis took a nice, long look at Ren. Her long, black hair was in a perfect bun and her skin looked as delicate as a diamond. She looked fragile and scared-like she would break any second now-and that would please Danis very much. Suddenly, Danis regretted cutting her hair. But she knew this girl was prettier than her, no matter what length her hair was.

"I am sure we will be excellent friends," Danis said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sure. I guess I will be seeing you tomorrow then, in piano class."

"Danis silently watched as Ren left. _Why?_ _Why is this new princess here?_

Ren

As Ren silently walked down the hallways of the castle, looking for her bedroom, she admired the art and décor. Never had she ever been in a place so beautiful. She couldn't wait to see her bedroom! If only her parents were here to see where she had gotten! The more she thought, though, the more she frowned. Her method of getting where she was now, was not the best. She had made a deal with the dark fairy. That's when it hit her. The dark fairy would never just give someone what they wanted for free; she always wants something back. The fact that the fairy had not her what she wanted scared her. It could be anything-her mouth, her face, her _life_?! Wrapped up in her thoughts, Ren didn't notice the person making a turn in the same direction she was walking.

"Ow," they both croaked at the same time.

"I'm so, _so_ , sorry," the person said.

"No, I'm sorry," Ren said. "I wasn't looking where I was going.

"Neither was I."

Ren chuckled as she inspected the person. It was a boy, about her age. He had short, platinum blonde hair and deep, dark, blue eyes. He was about one and a half inches taller than her and was wearing a black and white suit.

"I-I'm Ren," Ren stammered

"I know. You're the new princess-your majesty. I'm Mytho. I work in the politics section. Although, I must say, this is the first time I have actually spoken to royalty."

"I can assure you that it won't be your last, Mytho. I would love to speak with you again soon-but without bumping heads."

"Likewise, your majesty," he chuckled.

Ren watched him walk away. At least she knew she had _some_ type of friend. Someone she could go to, if she felt endangered. She knew who he was, but nothing else. At this rate, she knew that she needed to wish for another miraculous head bump.


	4. Chapter 4

Ren

Ren woke up the next morning excited to go to piano practice. She had always wanted to try playing, and now, one of her many dreams were coming true! She excitedly ran down the empty halls in search of the music room. It was only 5:30 in the morning, so she could leap through the halls as much as she wanted. As she silently raced down the halls, deep in thought, she ran slower and slower until she was just walking. That was when she felt a surge of pain in her leg. The sudden pain made her trip and fall; she squinted her eyes trying to prepare for when her would crack open on the hard, castle floor. But nothing happened. Instead, she had landed in someone's arms.

"Mytho."

"Are you okay? I saw you walking down the hallway and I was going to say hi, but then I saw you trip...and almost bust your head open."

"Ye-yeah. Thank you for catching me. It just felt like my leg was broken for a little while and I couldn't walk on it..."

"Do you want me look at it?"

Ren was going to say yes, but then she remembered the shoes with the thorns.

"Um, I'm fine. Thank you, though-I really do appreciate it-especially saving me from busting my head open."

"Of course, I just hope your leg doesn't starting hurting again."

"Thanks. Well, I'll see you around, I guess."

"Bye."

Ren continued walking towards where she thought the music room was, but she crept into a bathroom as soon as she saw one. Once she was in, she pulled her dress up enough to see her leg. A single thorn was stuck inside her leg. As she tried to get it out, the pain just got worse and worse. It was no use. She knew that there was nothing she could do. It was the dark fairy's doing. Ren let out a couple of tears before limping out of the bathroom and into the music room.

Danis

Danis gracefully swept her fingers across the piano keys-her melody as soft as cotton and as sweet as sugar. She was hoping that Ren would show up late-if you're late, you get an extremely long scolding from Ms. Templepots, the piano teacher. And Ren was already 15 minutes late. Danis had purposefully forgotten to tell her the location of the music room and everything was working out jut as Danis wanted, for once.

"Where is that princess,"Ms. Templepots impatiently asked. "Didn't you tell her where the music room is?"

"Yes, of course."

After 30 more minutes, Ren burst through the music room's doors.

"Sorry I'm late!"

"You should know better! You are a princess!"

Danis happily watched as Ren was scolded and chastised. It was nice to be the loved one for a change. All Danis had to do now was make every day like this. Danis continued to watch Ren's hot red cheeks and embarrassed face. "I'm not evil," Danis thought. "Just a bit mischievous."


	5. Chapter 5

**Ren**

Ren was feeling very embarrassed after what had happened in the music room. It wasn't fair for her to get scolded at! She had no idea where the music room was, and she had been limping, too, because of the thorn. She knew that she needed to get the thorn out. It seemed like it was sinking deeper into her skin with every minute. She no longer cared if the dark fairy meant for the thorn to puncture her skin or not-she was getting that thorn out. She slowly, limped onto her bed, pulled up her dress, and wrapped her fingers around the thorn. Ren pulled and yanked, but she was not strong enough to pull it out. She laid on her bed and wept; there was no one she could go to, no one to help her with this pain. But then she remembered Mytho. Perhaps, _he_ could help her. After all, he was the closest to a friend she had-she was certain that Danis wouldn't be helping her. But how would she find him? She remembered him saying that he worked with politics. Ren started walking down the halls, looking for the politics room. It wasn't that hard to find. Before she had even finished walking down the hallway her room was on, she came across a room with a plaque above it that read: **ROYAL POLITICS ROOM:ROOM 3 OF 8**. _There were 8 politics rooms?_ Hopefully, this would be the room that Mytho was in. Ren peered in through the window, but none of the faces resembled Mytho's. Ren sat down on the place floor and started to think. What clues did she have as to what room Mytho was in? _I know that Mytho's politics room can't be too far away, because every time I've seen him, I was coming out of my room._ Ren walked through the halls until she found an important-looking person.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for the royal politics rooms 2 and 4."

"If you follow down this hall, and turn right twice, you will come upon the fourth room. Turn right once, and then left to get to the second."

"Thank you very much sir," Ren said as she ran off.

Ren decided to check the second room first. He wasn't there. She next tried the fourth room-the fourth room had more people than all the other rooms. Whereas most of the rooms had 8 to 16 people, this room had 30 to 34. Ren squinted her eyes; she thought she saw a bit of Mytho's platinum blonde hair behind a guy with bright, red hair. She was just going to have to hope that it really was him. She sat down next to the room and waited for the session to end.

 **Danis**

Today was Danis' first day in politics room number 4. She was usually assigned room 1, 7, or even 8; but never 4. When she stepped inside, she was pleased to find a special seat waiting just for her with gold pegasi on the chair's arms. As people started to pile in, she noticed someone with light blonde hair that looked almost white and dark, blue eyes. Danis had come to the conclusion that only princes could be handsome, but this boy was living proof that her prediction was wrong. As the role was called she listened for his name.

"Mytho."

"Present."

 _Mytho?_ That was the most ridiculous name Danis had ever heard before. It was so _odd_. She couldn't ever figure out how to say his name right in her head. As the director of politics talked, she kept her focus on Mytho. She would talk to him, she decided. After the session was over. Once the final political decision was made-and Danis had agreed to it-people hurriedly buzzed out of the room. Danis squished past the crowd of people the best she could to get to Mytho and tapped on his shoulder.

"Oh, yes, your majesty?"

"Um, I don't think I've seen you before."

"I don't think you have seen anybody in here before other than the director. You're never in the room."

He had a really good point. Never in her entire life, had Danis had a shortage of words. For this, however, she was speechless.

"Well, bye," he said.

Danis watched as he walked away. _Ugh, for once it would be nice to do something right that's actually important to me._

 **Ren**

As she watched Mytho get up and leave, she saw someone stop him. It was Danis. They talked for a few seconds, but then Mytho walked away, towards the door.

"Mytho," Ren said.

"Oh, hi Ren! I didn't expect to see you here!"

"Well, um, I needed your help with something."

"Of course, what do you need he-"

Mytho was interrupted by Danis.

"Why are you here," she asked Ren. "To spy on me? To try to feel better for being 30-wait, no- _45_ minutes late to piano class?"

Ren could feel her cheeks heating up with embarrassment.

"Don't you have somewhere to be, right now? Being a queen and all?"

It wasn't the best comeback, but it was something. And something was usually better than nothing-especially if that other person cant make comebacks at all.

"You're right. I have things to do and places to go and I don't plan on wasting that time on you and your jealousy!"

Ren sourly watched her leave. She knew it was her fault for making a fool out of Danis the first time they met, but Danis really hadn't given Ren the best hello.

"So...what do you need help with?"

Ren had forgotten Mytho was still there.

"Oh, right, I'm sorry. Can you come to my room? I can't really just tell you in the hallway."

Mytho followed Ren into her room and she watched him gape in awe. Ren sat down on her lush carpet, and pulled her dress up two inches above her ankle. She watched as Mytho gaped in awe at the thorn stuck in her shin.

"What-what happened to your leg," he stammered.

"I-I don't know," Ren lied. "But there's a thorn stuck in it, and I can't get it out."

"Ok, on the count of three, let's try to pull it out."

"Ok."

"One, two, THREE!"

They both yanked hard on the thorn, and with much effort-and blood-the thorn finally popped out.

"AH," Ren yelped.

"Are you ok?!"

"Ye-yeah. I'm fine. I just need a bandage. Thanks for helping me."

Mytho left to get a bandage, but when he came back, the blood was completely gone. So was the bruise. It was like nothing had ever happened.

"Huh," they both said. "It-it was just there."

"Well, it's strange, but I guess I'm okay," Ren said trying to avoid talking more about the subject. "Thank you so much for helping me."

"I guess...well, tell me if you ever need help again. I'm happy to be of service."

"Thanks, I will. And I you. I am in major debt to you. You have saved my head _and_ leg, now."

"Don't mention it."

Ren was sad to see her friend leave. _Friend_. She finally had one.


	6. Chapter 6

**Mytho**

As Mytho walked down to the Third Breakfast Room, he thought about the day before. How did Ren get that thorn stuck in her? How did the bruise just disappear? He walked into the room, grabbed a plate, and went through the breakfast buffet. There were four breakfast rooms in the castle. The Primary Breakfast Room was the smallest, for it was meant just for the royal family. It served the best food and had the most comfortable chairs. The Secondary Breakfast Room was still a bit small-it contained the most important people walking around the castle other than the royalty, like the politics director, the major chefs, and so on. Mytho always went to the Third Breakfast room which contained semi-important people, like himself. The last breakfast room was the fourth, which was an enormous room bustling with maids and servants. Their food was always made out of the leftovers. Today, he had been assigned to take a break from politics and show Prince Earin around the castle. Prince Earin was engaged to Danis and since there was only eleven more months left until they were to be married, Earon would be living in the castle from now on. Mytho finished his breakfast and quickly got up to meet the prince in front of the castle. 

**Danis**

"Try a lavender ribbon, Margaret."

Today, Danis' fiancé would be moving into the castle and she would be eating dinner with him in four hours. She was told she needed to look her best, but really, she just wanted to look nice because Mytho would be eating dinner with her from now on. When she was told that she needed to pick someone to keep watch over Prince Earin, she instantly chose Mytho. Starting tomorrow, he would even be eating breakfast with her. And Ren. She knew that she hardly knew Mytho and she should not fall in love since she was already engaged, but one cannot help such things.

"Margaret, don't you think that lavender and yellow look good together?"

"Yes, your majesty."

"Great. Then I'll were that yellow dress, with that lavender sash."

 **Mytho**

When the prince arrived, he made no effort in trying to contain his identity. Wearing a large gold crown and a very expensive suit, he waked confidently up the drawbridge of the castle.

"Welcome, your majesty. My name is Mytho. I will be giving you a tour of the castle and will be something like an assistant to you until your marriage."

"Yes, yes, here."

The prince threw his coat at Mytho, who hurriedly tried to catch it. There was no doubt in Mytho's mind that this guy was a jerk. He might look nice on the outside-he had medium length brown hair and deep, brown eyes-but, on the inside, Mytho could tell that he was completely wretched.

"Follow me and I will show you around the eighth floor first," Mytho sighed.

 **Ren**

Ren watched as the birds in the garden flew overhead. She was tired of being in the castle all the time and was happy to finally get to spend some time outside. As she watched a ladybug on a leaf, she saw a shadow appear on the garden's cobblestone pathway and looked up.

"Mytho!"

"Yeah, hi your majesty."

"You really don't need to call me that-um, thanks again for helping me yesterday."

"It was no problem. I just thought I should spend my break in the gardens...looks like we had the same idea."

"Break from what?"

"Giving tours."

"I could've used one of those," Ren said and they both chuckled. "For who?

Mytho sighed. "From now on I'm an assistant slash tour guide to Prince Earin."

Ren fought her cheeks' urge to turn pink.

"The prince is here?"

"Yes, and he's a real jerk too. He threw his jacket at me the moment we met and has been criticizing me with every turn."

"Really?" This was not the prince Ren had been picturing for so many years. She didn't know what to think, but she was pretty sure she felt a little bit of anger. Ren surprised herself by feeling angry at Prince Earin, not Mytho.

"I-I'm sorry Mytho. I wish there was something I could do-is there?"

"I'm afraid not, but thanks. I should probably get back now, before he calls me a slowpoke."

"Yeah, but he must know that your way better than him and that's why he's such a jerk to you.'

"Thanks...Ren."

Ren watched as Mytho ran to the castle door. She wished she knew why she had straight-up told Mytho that he was better than Prince Earin.

 **Ren**

As soon as her maid told her that dinner was ready, she headed to the Royal Dinner Room. She arrived a couple minutes late as usual, for she had not yet completely memorized where everything was. When she got there, she was stunned. At the head of the table was Danis. On either side of her was Mytho and Earon. Ren hadn't been expecting this so she was happy she wore one of her favorite dresses. When she realized everyone was staring at her, she took a seat.

"Ren...this is Prince Earin...he will be eating dinner with us...from now on. This is Mytho, his assistant. I don't believe you've met either one before,"

Obviously, she had met Mytho, but she decided not to pretend like she hadn't.

"Hello Mytho, Earin. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

"Likewise," Mytho said and they caught eyes and shared the tiniest smile.

"It is indeed a pleasure to meet you as well, Ren," Earin said and _winked_ at her.

Had Danis seen? Ren eyed Earin suspiciously, then, after Danis had done the thanking for their food, never laid her eyes on him again during that meal.

 **Mytho**

Once they were all dismissed, Mytho whispered in Ren's ear, "Are we supposed to pretend like we don't know each other?"

"Yes," she whispered back.

"Did he wink at you?"

"Yes, he did," Ren responded.

For some reason, this made Mytho very mad indeed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Danis**

"Mytho," Danis said.

"Yes?"

"Are you enjoying your break?"

"Quite. Your fiancé is quite tiring."

Danis laughed. "I'm sure you can handle it."

"I hope so."

"So, did you enjoy this morning's breakfast?"

"I did, thank you, well, I have to go now."

How come she could never have a normal conversation with him? Danis knew that she just needed to make sure that he did not gain an interest in Ren. But how?

 **Mytho**

"This is the door to the gardens. You can add this to your mental map."

"You can add 'I'm not in grade school,' to your mental map."

Mytho rolled his eyes. This royal prince was a royal pain.

"Well, I wasn't quite sure so I decided to act like it in case you were."

Now it was Earin's turn to roll his eyes. Mytho hadn't seen Ren in a week and she was his only friend. Of course, he saw her at dinner and at breakfast, but that was it. And it wasn't like they could actually talk to each other.

"Why do you continue to give me tours? I can tell that you hate me."

"I would, and I do hate you, but the queen requests it so I don't really I have much of a choice."

"Believe me, I hate you as much as you hate me, so I'll tell you what. I'll talk to the Danis and try to get someone else as my assistant, okay?"

"Deal."

 **Danis**

"Earin! I was about to try to contact you! I wanted to invite everyone to a mini-party near the fountain in cobblestone garden number 7."

"Okay," Earin reluctantly said.

"Great! Let's all meet there now!"

 **Ren**

The fact that Ren had gotten invited to a party hosted by Danis was very weird. They didn't like each other.

"Hi, everyone," Danis happily said. "I thought that it would be nice for us to all get to know each other and become great...friends!"

Naturally, Ren and Mytho took this as a chance to get to talk to each other.

"Um, hi," Ren started.

"Hi. How has being a princess been?"

"Boring. How has being a tour guide been?"

"Miserable."

"So," Danis began. "I brought these cupcakes for us. I thought we could all sit by the fountain have some."

Everyone grabbed a different cupcake and a cup of juice, and sat on the edge of the fountain, Danis between Ren and Mytho. Beside Ren, Danis was tilting her cup as she was trying to straighten out her dress.

"Danis, you're tilting your cu-"

Within a couple of seconds, Ren was soaked with cranberry juice.

"Ren! I am _so_ sorry. I didn't mean to do that! Let me try to help dry you off."

With a failed attempt to dry Ren off, Danis "accidentally" pushed Ren right into the fountain behind them, causing her to be even more soaked then before.

Danis gasped, Earin gaped in awe, and Mytho ran to help his friend. When he pulled her out, she was completely unconscious.

"She must have hit her head on the bottom of the fountain," he said.

 **Mytho**

Mytho waited by Ren's bed, waiting for her to eventually wake up. Eventually, one of her eyes fluttered open, then the other one. Mytho sighed in relief.

"Mytho. Did you wait here the entire time?"

"Yeah. How do you feel?"

"My head hurts, but that's it."

"Well, do you feel well enough to come down to dinner?"

"I think so. Maybe I could just have some help getting there, though?"

"Of course."

Ren put her arm around Mytho's neck and he walked her to the Royal Dining Room.

 **Ren**

The dinner was steamed ham and peas with rice noodle soup as a side. As Ren sat down at the table to eat, Earin whispered in her ear.

"Mytho was the one that got you out of the fountain and carried you to your bed."

"Why are you telling me this," Ren asked as Mytho suspiciously watched Earin, trying to figure out what it was he was talking about.

"I just thought you would want to know."

Ren ignored him for the rest of the meal and they all ate in silence.

"Aren't you going to apologize," Mytho asked, breaking the silence.

"For what," Danis asked.

"Um, pushing Ren into the fountain?"

"It was an accident!"

"You should still apologize," Mytho said, his voice rising.

"I agree," Earin chimed in.

"What is _wrong_ with you guys? Did you not just hear me say it was by accident?!"

"No offence, but it actually looked like it was on purpose," Earin said.

Ren was certain that it _was_ on purpose, but she couldn't have Mytho yelling over this. He could get kicked out of the castle-or worse.

"Guys, _please._ "

"Well, it wasn't! I think you guys are just saying that because we all seem to be in a bit of a sour mood."

"A _bit?_ "

"Maybe more, but who cares?!"

"We all care! Except, obviously, you!"

As the fighting continued to rise, Ren snuck out of the room while she could. She was sure they would all resolve everything-wouldn't they?


	8. Chapter 8

**Danis**

"Yes?"

Danis was at her monthly doctor check-up and apparently, something was wrong.

"What is it?"

"Well, I will most certainly run these blood-tests again, but-"

"Spit it out, doctor."

"From what I can see...you have cancer."

"What?"

There was no way that Danis had heard correctly. How could she have cancer? _How?_

"Wha-what can I do to...fix it?"

"Nothing, I'm afraid. Nothing, but to hope for a miracle. I recommend taking all your friends on an adventure in the rainforest. The humidity should help. "

Danis could not speak. She was completely stunned. She wanted to answer, but her mouth would not move. The next thing she knew, everything went black.

 **Ren**

"So, why are we here?"

"The queen has fainted out of shock," the nurse said.

"Shock of what?"

"Our young queen has cancer."

The room fell silent. No one had been expecting this. Sure, Ren might not have particularly _liked_ Danis, but she never wanted something like _this_ to happen.

 **Mytho**

Mytho was shocked. How was this happening? 2 weeks ago, he had hated her for pushing Ren into the well, and now...? He didn't know. He never wanted this to happen. What was going to happen next?


	9. Chapter 9

**Ren**

 _I hope Danis is feeling better._ It was 1 am, but Ren could not sleep, out of worry. She sighed, she new that she needed to get some rest. She gently closed her eyes, preparing for sleep. That was when she heard a faint light. Yes, a light. She _heard_ a light. It was a soft, whispering glow noise. Like it was beckoning her. As if under a spell, Ren got up. Her long, black gown trailing behind her, she headed for the light at her door. She opened the door, and followed the light; she went outside to the gardens, through the hedge maze, through dark, shadowy weeds, and finally, a small cave. In an instant, the dark fairy appeared. Ren gasped.

"You," Ren said under her breath

"You say it like I'm a bad thing," the dark fairy replied.

"You are. I have been thinking and I regret ever making a deal with you."

"Oh, so, you would like for me to remove every bit of royal blood I have given you?"

Ren thought. That would mean no castle, no food, no water, no _Danis_ , but worst of all, no Mytho.

"No."

"Well, then, what are you complaining about?"

"Nothing," Ren sighed. "So, why did you bring me here?"

"I needed to discuss some things with you. In order to keep your position as a princess, you need to help me gain control over the land."

They both heard a gasp from behind a bush. They looked behind the bush to find a wide-eyed Danis sitting prettily with her legs curled up. Now Ren gasped.

"Danis, "Ren whispered. "Run."

 **Mytho**

"I'm telling you, I saw her! She was talking to the dark fairy last night! it's all a lie! She isn't really a princess!"

"Yeah, right," Mytho said. "We all feel bad for you; we really do, but don't lie."

"Look! There she is now! You can ask her yourself!"

"Ren," Mytho started. "Danis claims she saw you talking to the dark fairy last night and you have a deal with her that if you give her the kingdom, you can be a princess."

"...it's true."


	10. Chapter 10

**Ren**

"Wait! You have to let me explain!"

Ren knew that she sounded dumb. She also knew that everyone could probably see the fear on the face and hear the pounding of her heart. _Why?_ Why did this stuff always happen to her? Her life was simply awful. Just when she thought that her life might actually turn enjoyable, it dropped into misery and darkness once again.

"What's there to explain," asked Mytho. "You betrayed all of us, you used is as your puppets! I'm just thankful that Danis discovered it in time before you and your dark fairy friend took over the whole kingdom!"

"But you have to understand- she tricked me! She dropped me into a whole, causing me to hit my head, and _then_ she tricked me! I would never have trusted her, I would _never_ have done this if I knew this was going to happen! And I wasn't going to let her invade the kingdom! I was going to just turn back into the poor, helpless girl I was before, and let you all continue with your happy lives! What _I_ can't believe is that you didn't trust me to do that!"

Mytho looked at her. "But why did you lie? Why couldn't you just trust me from the beginning?"

"If I had told you, you wouldn't have trusted me."

Mytho said nothing. She could feel his disappointment in her bubbling up inside him.

"Mytho, I can understand your anger. Really. But I need you to understand _me._ I was poor. No, poorer than poor. My home was merely a mud hut and for my water, I had to drink extremely dirty water from an unreliable well. My food was a couple of roasted leaves, some scrap crackers at best. So, excuse me if I thought I had a better chance of living a decent life!

With that, Ren walked away, her chin held high, her shoulders back. As soon as she reached her room, she burst end out crying. She never should have even talked to that fairy!

"It's not my fault, it's not my fault," she kept repeating in her head. But a small part of her knew it was.

With bright, red eyes and crusted tear stains down her eyes, she laid on her bed and thought. She thought and wished that things could be different. That she could be born a princess. Ren was a lie, she was no one bit Scarlett. But she didn't want to become her again. She couldn't! She started to weep all over again when she heard a knock on the door.

"May I come in," Mytho asked.

 **Mytho**

"I am sorry that I was so harsh to you. I didn't mean for you to feel guilty for something that wasn't exactly your fault-well, I guess I kind of did. I wasn't thinking about you, just myself. I felt kind of hurt that you hadn't told me."

"I know, and I am sorry. I should have told you from the begi-"

"No-I understand that you couldn't trust me. It would be like telling a stranger where you live. And I probably would have done the same thing if I was as poor as you."

Ren stared at him with a blank look on her face. It took him a while to figure out what he did wrong.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't meant it like that, just, let me rephrase that. Considering your position, I understand what you did and I probably would have done the same."

"But that still doesn't change that what I did was wrong," Ren exclaimed with a pained look on her face.

Mytho put his hands on Ren's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.

"Ren, just admitting what you did is amazing. Telling yourself that everything is your fault is over the top. She used you, not your heart."

 **Ren**

Ren looked at Mytho with bright, wide eyes.

"Do you mean that"

"Of course I do. I mean it with all my heart. A dark fairy isn't going to change what I think about you, and you are the kindest person I know!"

Ren gave Mytho a hug. "You have been more of a friend than I could ever wish for!"

Mytho smiled, "I will always be there for you. And I'm sure that Danis is just upset because of the whole cancer thing. She'll understand.

Ren watched Mytho leave, and missed him as soon as the door closed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Ren**

Ren looked down from her 11th floor window as half the kingdom collapsed. How was this happening?! Just last night everything was fine, and now, at 11am, the kingdom was crumbling to pieces.

She quickly ran out her large bedroom, and down the hall. She needed to get help! As usual, she tripped in the hallway, and fell right into Mytho's arms.

Ren looked up. "What would I do without you?"

"I don't know," Mytho said. "But what would happen to the city of it fell and no one caught it?"

"We have to get help!"

"But who. No one can stop half a kingdom from crumbling. The best we can do is protect the people in our half of the kingdom.

"So let's get help!"

 **Danis**

"What," Danis screeched.

"How can half the kingdom just collapse on the spot?!"

Danis turned to look out the window. It was indeed collapsing.

"This is all your fault, isn't it," Danis said as she turned around to look at Ren.

"Just because you saw the dark fairy talking to Ren, doesn't mean she asked for this to happen," Mytho said, hurrying to Ren's aid.

"But it's her fault all of this is happening in the first place!"

"She had plans to do this all along! I just happened to be a distraction!"

"Well, arguing isn't going to get us anywhere, so let's hurry up and find a solution instead of just standing here!"

"And how do you suggest we do that?!"

The three continued to argue, which was, in fact, what the dark fairy had wanted all along. They didn't realize it, but as they were arguing, the second half of the kingdom began to fall and the castle started to plunge forward.


	12. Chapter 12

**Ren**

Eight months ago, Ren had woken up in a thick rainforest. The castle had collapsed and she hadn't seen Mytho, Danis, or the prince since. She missed them for sure, but she had lived alone before, and had no problem doing it once again. The spell the dark fairy had on her was long gone, for the thorns on her leg had dissepeared. Mysteriously, Ren's hair was still long and had grown even longer over the past months. She kept it in a low ponytail, on top of a sac she carried upon her right shoulder. Inside the sac, she held her bow and arrows. She did not know where they had come from, and she did not care. They just appeared right in front of her one day. She alsomysteriously found a leather top and pants set, which is what she always wore, now. Ren could not remember the last time she had looked in the mirror, and she was quite curious to she what she looked like. If she had counted the days correctly, one month ago she had turned 18.

Between two trees, she heard a rustle. She got her now and arrow ready, prepared to hunt her next meal. A set of dark, blue eyes and white-blonde hair came out of the trees.

"Mytho?!"

"Ren," he said, his eyes wide in disbelief. "You look so...different."

"And you don't," she said, a bit edgy that that was all he had to say to her.

"No, in a good way," he said. He walked to her to give her a hug. "I missed you."

"And I you, Mytho. Have you seen the others?"

"Yeah, I've been with Danis and Earin the whole time."

"Have you found an exit?"

"No, we haven't. But maybe we will now that you're with us."

"Perhaps. But I must know-what's so different about me?"

"Well..." Mytho began. "I don't know where to start, your approach, your hair, your clothes, your..."

"What," Ren asked impatiently.

"...your eyes."

"My...eyes...? What about them?"

"They've changed color. They aren't black anymore."

"What color are they then?" Ren wasn't sure if she should be happy or nervous.

"They're blue-green...and they're glowing."


	13. Chapter 13

**Ren**

"They...glow?"

"Well kind of. They are most certainly the most beautiful eyes _I_ have ever seen before. They're so bright and...I don't know how toexplain it, Ren. The point is...nothing is wrong with you. You look beautiful."

Ren could feel heat flush to her face. "I would love to see Danis and Earin."

"Okay, follow me"

Mytho lead her through a few trees until she came upon two familiar faces.

"Well, look who it is-the traitor."

"I missed you too, Danis. Earin."

"Wow, you've changed-a lot," Earin said.

"I know. It's been mentioned quite some times today. I don't feel that different though. Is it really that hard to recognize me?"

"No," Mytho started. "It's mostly just your eyes."

"Who cares," Danis said. "We need to get out of this forest and escape to some other town."

"And what do you expect we do after that?"

"We need to think of a plan that will lock the dark fairy up-once and for all."

 **Mytho**

Mytho swiftly sliced the thick vines away, hoping to catch sight of a nearby building. They had thought up a decent plan. Get to some kind of civilization and find a way to the capital of the kingdom-where the castle is. They would fit as much people as they could inside the castle and seal the surrounding wall. Then, they would continue their lives as if nothing had ever happened while they would secretly find a way to permanently get rid of the fairy.


	14. Chapter 14

**Ren**

It had been two months since the four had found the castle. It was in complete ruins. Walking through the castle was a workout itself between the dodging, jumping, and ducking the rubble. Every day, the four would meet in Danis' room and discuss the fairy. Ren missed the relationship they had before, even if it was mostly quarreling. Now, it was all business.

That night, Ren decided to go for a quick walk along the most deserted part of the castle. On the way, she tripped right over a piece of stone and fell right into Myhto's arms-something she hadn't done in a while.

" _Now_ , my Ren is back," Mytho said.

Ren smiled, it was nice for someone to be in a happier mood then usual. "I decided to take a walk around the castle-I needed to stretch my legs-care to join me?"

"I would love to. I haven't gotten to speak to you like a friend in forever."

"I really have missed talking to you guys," Ren said. "Nothing seems right anymore."

"Nothing _is_ right."

"True."

"Ren," Mytho began.

"Yes?"

"I'm really happy that you ended up becoming some type of princess-because I know that the evil fairy would have done all of this anyways."

"Thanks, Mytho. I'm pretty sure that you are the only person that thinks that."

"Nah, just promise me that you will at least try to get along with Danis."

"I promise," Ren said with a smile.

 **Mytho**

Mytho walked back to his room, wondering how in the world the four of them would get through this. They were a nothing. A princess, a queen, a politician, and a jerk prince. But Mytho knew that Ren was much more than just a princess-and not a dirty, homeless girl, but something else-something special. The spectacular change in her eyes said so. But maybe Ren would be better off without the three of them-she had already mastered archery and could move with such swift motions-the time in the forest had done her good. Mytho tried to think of a plan-or at least part of one, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Ren.

 **Danis**

Danis was supposed to have a wedding today. She was to be wed to Prince Earin. Truthfully, she was kind of happy all this had happened-she didn't want to marry that self-centered thing to marry her-not that he seemed to interested in her either. He seemed to like Ren more. Maybe, with some luck, he would end up marrying Ren and she could marry Mytho. From the very first time Danis had seen Mytho, she had fallen in love. Maybe this whole dark fairy thing was a kind of a miracle-not that she would admit that to anyone.


	15. Chapter 15

**Ren**

The four crowded into Danis' room.

"Okay, everyone, sit down," Danis said. "We need a plan-desperately. This is no way to live, and pretty soon, none of us _will_ be living. Does anyone have any ideas at all?"

"I think I have one," Ren said.

"Other than her."

"What's wrong with her idea," said Mytho.

"Do you really want to trust someone who lied to all of us?"

"Danis, I think that every, single person in this room-except you- can agree that Ren has done nothing to provoke this tragedy. We all know good and well that Ren was only a distraction while the dark fairy could complete her evil plan. Stop trying to blame every, single, little thing on her and giving her such a hard time! If this is the way you are going to act, we're never going to ble ableto stop the dark fairy!"

"Can we give the dark fairy a name? Because it kind of sounds wierd just saying 'dark fairy' all the time."

"Maybe you haven't noticed, Earin, but there's someone trying to destroy our kingdom so we don't really have time to worry about names for evil fairies."

"We can give her a name, just to appease him. From now, we'll call her Mal. No negotiating."

"What about _Thy Evil One_?"

"No negotiating! Besides, that's even longer than evil fairy."

"Who cares about the name?"

"I do."

This was a complete _wreck._ There was no way the four of them would get along.

"How about we all go back to our rooms, think of our own ideas, and share tomorrow morning," Ren spoke up.

"Are you suggesting that we work _alone_ in our rooms for _hours."_

"Well, what do you expect us to do? We obviously can't get along, so yes, I expect us to work alone."

"That girl actually has a point," Danis said. "We'll meet up again tomorrow. Dismissed!"

 **Mytho**

Mytho knocked on Ren's door.

"Hey Mytho," Ren answered.

"Hey. I talked to the others You know, Danis and Earin. Um, we thought that it might be better if we worked in pairs and Danis didn't want to work with you, of course, so that left me and Earin as your options and I thought that you would probably prefer me over Earin..."

"Definently! I would choose you over Danis as well, though!"

"Shall we get started?"

"Yes, come in!"

Ren pulled out two, fancy chairs from the small living room that was attached to her bedroom.

"Sit here while I make some tea."

Mytho looked around the room. He had been her room a few times before, but had never actually observed it. Room was a modest term; it was more like a suite. He was currently in her bedroom which was a large room with an enormous canopy bed-one leg broken from the castle collapse. Beside the bed was an open door that led to a walk-in-closet, and beside that door was another open door that led to her small living room. On the other side of the bed was a nightstand with an elegant lamp and beside that a vanity with a fancy cushion stool. Mytho could only assume that there were more doors in her living room that led to a kitchen and a dining room, where Ren was now. And, of course, one of the doors in her bedroom was most likely the door to the bathroom.

"I'm back! I brought some lemon honey flavored tea, some butter crackers, and cucumber melon muffins!"

"It sounds good-and like a tea party."

"Well I can only imagine what Danis and Earin are earring right now."

"True. I like your room, by the way."

"Thanks, it even has an upstairs."

"Really?"

"Yeah, want me to show you?"

"Sure!"

Ren led him to a far corner inside the dining room and opened a door where a narrow staircase lay.

"This way," she said.

At the top of the stairs, was one, large room with a set of table and chairs, a tall lamp, and three doors.

"I like to call this room the lobby. As you can see it has three doors. They lead to a bathroom, library, and office."

"This is amazing," Mytho exclaimed.

"It is fun to explore," Ren agreed. "Do you want to work on our assignment in the library instead? We could look through the book for ideas and there is a table and chairs set in there that we could use."

"That would be brilliant! I'll get the tea!"


	16. Chapter 16

**Danis**

"So, let's discuss our ideas. And i think that we should switch teams next time and see if that makes a difference. It will be Ren and Earin and me and Mytho."

Danis was so proud of herself for thinking of an idea to get she and Mytho together. And, oh, how she enjoyed the look of pure disgust on Ren's face. She can only imagine what she was thinking. Probably that she hated Danis, not that Danis cared-she hated her likewise.

"Mytho, you can go first."

"Well, Ren and I were thinking hard about it, and, after looking through some books, I think that we know what we need to do."

"Well...?"

"We have to simply...forgive her."

"What?"

"Think about it. Trying to defeat her is just going to harm more people-we don't want that. We also don't want to _kill_ her, just to get rid of her. The best we could possibly do is forgive her and banish her to that deserted island the kingdom owns."

"And you think that's going to stop her from trying to redestroy the kingdom? Not to mention fighting against us?!"

"We would have to use a banishing spell."

"How? Only she can use the spells!"

I'm "We would have to trick her into accidentally banishing herself. There's no way she remembers every single spell she owns. Just trust us, we have a plan all worked out."

"Mytho, as much as I want to trust that this plan will work, I can't! It would never work! And you were working with Ren! She is probably on _Mal's_ side!"

"So we're back to this again?!"

"Ugh, guys, just stop," Ren said.

"You have the right to remain silent!"

Ren narrowed her eyes at Danis. Danis stuck her chin out.

"Look, Mytho, it's just...not reasonable. I'm sure we'll think of a better plan later."

"Yes, I would so like to hear this better plan of yours!"

 **Ren**

Ren was getting really tired of Danis' ignorance. Ren was about to open her mouth again when someone grabbed her hand.

"Hey! Let go!"

"Why are you screaming at me? I just saved you from that dramatic situation!"

"I didn't ask you too," Ren shouted at him as she lifted her lime green dress to run back inside. The dress was one of her favorites actually. It was lime green colored with lavender colored bows all over the bodice and skirt. Also running up and down the skirt part was white lace with intricate designs. Overall, the dress looked like a ball gown- it had spaghetti straps and poofed out like any ball gown would.

"Hey, wait!"

He grabbed her shoulder. "We have to work together anyways so we might as well start."

"Ugh, can we not?"

"Why? What did I do?"

"You're a stuck-up jerk that doesn't think about anyone other than himself and can never take important situations seriously!"

"You're only saying that because that's probably what Mytho told you; and you seem to believe everything he says!"

"And why shouldn't I? Besides, I witnessed your immaturity with my own eyes!"

"Or maybe because you have _feelings_ for him," he whispered.

"I do not!"

Earin eyed her carefully.

"It's easy to tell when you're lying."

"Must be why it's easy to tell you're lying to yourself."

Earin yanked her down the hallway.

"Stop dawdling. We need to work on the assignment."

 **Mytho**

How much more he could take, Mytho didn't know. This was getting ridiculous. Maleficent(the final name decided) would never be banned from the kingdom with the four of them arguing so much. It was so frustrating, the way this was all turning out.

"You know what, Danis? I need a break. Let's just meet again tomorrow. Alright?"

"Fine. I need a break too. Do you want to take a walk around the castle; we could grab some chocolates. Those are always good for stress."

"...no. But I know what might might just relieve some of that stress! Meet me in the ballroom at 5pm!"

 **Danis**

A ballroom dance with Mytho? Danis' day was turning from bad to great! There was only one thing Danis needed to do. She had six hours to find the perfect dress, hairstyle, and shoes. She would look better than what she ever had before!

 **Mytho**

Mytho had the perfect plan to cheer everyone up! The whole reason everyone was so depressed was that none of them could get along. If Ren and Danis could become friends, everything might be a whole lot easier. Once Mytho got to Ren's door, he knocked several times, but no one answered. _Where was she?_ Next, Mytho decided to try Earin's roo,; in case they were working in there. Sure enough, Earin opened the door with Ren behind him.

"Hey," Earin said sourly.

"Hey," Mytho sourly replied back.

"Um, what's up," Ren asked.

"Ren I need you to meet me in the ballroom at 5."

"Why," Earin interrupted.

"I wasn't talking to you."

"Okay," Ren replied, looking a bit confused. "Do I just wear this."

"Yes, that's fine. Well, that's all, I'll leave you guys to your studies."

"Wait! You don't want to leave me hear with _him_ do you," Ren pouted.

Mytho only had five and a half hours to prepare the surprise, but Ren looked really desperate to have someone other than that jerk.

"Okay, for one hour."

"Thank you so much," Ren said as she embraced Mytho for a hug.

"Am I really _that_ bad," Earin asked.

"Yes, yes you are."


	17. Chapter 17

**Mytho**

"I should probably get going now," Mytho said.

"Alright then. Bye."

"Bye."

As soon as Mytho had left the room, he speed-walked to the kitchens, where the few chefs and maids they had left were working.

"Um, excuse me? I don't mean to bother you, but I need you to fix some food...please."

Mytho showed the top chefs the recipes he wanted them to make. A chocolate cake, a platter of cookies, a bowl of juice, a cheese plate, a fruit bowl, and to top it all off, an enormous 6 layered cake with each layer a different flavor.

"I"ll need these ready and taken to the main ballroom in four hours. Thanks!"

Next, Mytho needed to get a LOT of decorations. First, he stopped by the Royal florist, where he ordered 10 pounds worth of flowers. Then, he stopped by the Royal stationary store where he got streamers and decorative paper. Now he just needed to decorate.

 **Danis**

Danis decided to wear her second favorite dress. It was strapless and a rosy pink color, with yellow tulips bunched at the hem. There was purple ribbon that swam through the skirt section and lace around the top. It was the poofiest of her dresses, for sure. She just hoped that Mytho wouldn't trip over it. As for her hair, she had had her most trusted hair stylist style her auburn hair. Half her hair consisted of two braids that pulled into a bun and the other half of her hair was down. She couldn't have been happier that her hair had grown a few inches since she cut it; her hair length now four inches past her shoulder. She wore lavender eye shadow and pink eyeliner with thick, black mascara. For three hours, she waited patiently until it was finally time to go down to the ballroom.

Right before she pushed the door open, she heard a voice.

"You're here too?"

"Ren?! What are you doimg here?"

"I could ask the same question but I am assuming that Mytho invited the bot of us for a party."

"Hmph."

But when they actually went inside, Mytho was nowhere to be found. The ballroom was a sight, though. It was beautiful; decorated with flowers and colorful paper. In the back, was a long table covered with delicious looking food.

"I guess Mytho isn't here yet."

There were two chairs beside the food table and they had no choice, but to wait beside each other. After about thirty minutes of waiting, Ren spoke up.

"So, did you think of any more ideas?"

"What do you think?"

"I'll take that as a no. Um... Do you want to get some food while we wait?"

 _Was Ren trying to talk to her?_

"Uh, sure."

The two got up and fetched a plate for some food.

"These cookies look good. I haven't even seen this type of cookie before."

"I have. They're pretty good," Danis said as she put one on her plate.

"What about this type?"

"That one's good too, but this one is my favorite. It's a dark chocolate cookie with milk chocolate and white chocolate chunks with raspberries!"

"Oooh, sounds good."

"I used to eat those all the time when I was younger. I ate them so much, the chef had to hide them in a place I couldn't reach!"

Ren laughed. "I used to do the same with Danishes! My mom made the best Danishes ever! The dough was flaky on top and...doughy in the middle. Inside, she always put in strawberries _and_ cherries and drizzled icing on top!"

"That does sound good. But have you ever had a chocolate truffle before? Oh, those are the best! I love them! Maybe I can bring some one meeting to share."

"I think that we would _all_ love that!"

Maybe Ren wasn't so bad after all. Danis was actually having a _lot_ of fun spending time with her.

 **Ren**

Of course! This had been Mytho's plan all along! He wanted Ren and Danis to get along and become friends! _And it seems to be working, too!_ She actually _was_ enjoying this and Danis didn't seem half bad. They actually seemed to have a lot in common. Maybe they even could be friends.

"So, does Earin annoy you as much as he does me?"

"Ugh, yes. And just think-before all this, I had to marry him!"

"That's right! I feel so bad for you! And to think that I used to have a crush on him..."

"What?! Really?"

"Yeah! Everyone who lived outside of the castle thought so. _Everyone_ wanted to be you so that they could marry 'the handsome prince!'"

"Well, I guess if you weren't getting forced to marry him, he wouldn't be so bad."

"Until you married him!"

"Then it would be too late!"

"Maybe the whole 'evil fairy attaching world' thing isn't so bad after all!"

"...I wouldn't go that far!"

"Are you saying that you care about your people more than yourself?"

"Of course! I _am_ a queen! I'm really not that selfish!"

"Okay, okay, fine."

Ren sat peacefully on her chair as of all was right with the world. Then she looked her watch.

"Oh my goodness!"

"What?!"

"The time."

"Phew! I thought something was actually wrong, but yeah, it is pretty late. It's eight o clock already."

"We should probably get going now."

"Yeah."

"Hey, Danis"

"Yeah?"

"Are we friends?"

"Let's just stick with well-known acquaintances for now."

"Okay."

When Ren went back to her room, she found Mytho waiting at her door.

"Well," he asked.

"Mytho, you are so clever!"

"I know. Does this mean we're going to be getting along better from here on out?"

"I think, but poor Danis. She came dressed fancier than I have ever seen her. She looked so pretty, I wish you could have seen her."

"She couldn't have looked that much different than what she usually does."

"Well, she was wearing a nice dress...and a lot of makeup."

"Are you going to be on her side from now on? Maybe my plan was a mistake."

Ren shoved Mytho lightly. "No, you know that."

"Yes, I do know that," Mytho smiled. "But you guys did have fun, though, right? Because that was kind of the whole point."

"Yes, we did!"

"Great! Just make sure that you don't start liking her more than me just because she's a girl," Mytho said as he started to walk off.

"No promises," Ren winked.


	18. Chapter 18

**Danis**

"Okay, everyone listen up please. I have some new plans for everything. First of all, it seems easier when we work in groups so I will be addressing permanent partners. It will be me and Ren and Mytho and Earin. Sorry Mytho. Next, we will have dinner everyday together, at 5:30. Then we will have a 1 hour break from each other and meet up at 6:30 for a sleepover at the Royal guest suite."

"Why a break?"

"In case we get tired of each other. Now, we will begin."

 **Ren(6:30/Sleepover)**

Ren knocked on the door.

"Come in," spoke Danis' voice.

Ren was ten hours late due to a hair dilemma. She had been trying to get her hair into a braid, but had failed miserably and had been trying for about an hour to get it perfect.

"Sorry, I, um, had a problem with my hair."

"Next time, just ask me, and I'll send for my hairdresser."

"No thanks, I'm fine."

"So, what are we doing?"

"Nothing yet. But I have some games planned to help us know each other. If this is going to work, we're going to need to be friends."

"We are kind of friends aren't we?"

"Just not with him," Mytho budded in.

"Hey, I can be a good friend if I want to."

"Then why aren't you our friend?"

"Apparently he doesn't want to."

"Guys, enough," Danis said. "We are all going to become friends. Now, I am going to pass around a spinner with 10 portions on it and a list of questions ordered from 1 to 10. Whatever number your spinner lands on is the question you answer. The game ends when everyone has answered all ten questions. I will start and we will go clockwise? Got it?"

"Yeah," everyone responded.

"Okay," Danis said as she flicked the spinner, which landed on seven. "Seven: What are your hobbies?"

"Bossing people around is it not," Earin asked jokingly.

"Hmph. Actually, I used to model and I liked that. I also like to attend dances and balls. Mytho, your turn."

His spinner landed on six.

"Six: What is your favorite color and animal? Hmm, I like wolves and the color Royal blue. Earin."

"Uhh, I got nine. When is your birthday? Mine is Febuary 4. Finally your turn Ren."

"Okay, I got seven. I really like to...explore things I guess."

"That's really wierd," Earin said.

Ren glared at him.

"...But interesting! Very interesting!"

At the end of the game, everyone had to answer all the questions about each person. Ren remembered everyone's birthdays surprisingly well. Mytho's was January 2, Earin's was Febuary 4, and Danis' was November 17. Of course, Ren knew her own birthday. It was April 3. At 8:30, they decided to go to bed. They needed a healthy sleep.

At 10:00, Ren was still awake. She just couldn't sleep.

"Anyone awake," a voice asked; she knew it was Mytho's.

"Yes," she responded, and she was the only one that did.

"You can't sleep either?"

"No."

"Do you remember what I said I like to do when we were playing the game?"

"Yes," Ren smiled. "You said you like to explore too."

"Do you want to?"

"Sure."

"Let's stop by my room first okay?"

"Okay."

 **Mytho**

"Great, now we can talk without whispering."

"Yeah. So how are we going to do this?"

"Well, as a royal politician, I have a complete map of the castle, and with most of the rubble cleared away, it shouldn't be too hard to explore without getting lost. And actually, we've only ever explored part A of the castle. It consists of A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, and P. But H is forbidden."

"Okay, but wow... I never noticed how large the castle is. It is enormous. Isn't it the second largest castle of the world?"

"Yup."

"Wow! This is going to be really fun!"

"Yeah, but we don't know how long we'll be exploring. We might be exploring for seven whole hours... You never know! I'll get a sac, and pack some food, water, and the map in there."

"And we should Cary some flashlights."

"Good idea. I only have one big one. Are you okay with a small one?"

"Are you inquiring that you are going to use the big one?"

"Yes...?"

"Yeah, I'm fine with the small one," Ren laughed.

Mytho packed some crackers, water, sandwiches, and cheese in the sac, along with the map.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, let's go."

When they got to part B, they were amazed. It was even more lavishing then part A. It was mostly fun rooms-like aquariums, libraries, wardrobes, game rooms, etc. In the wardrobe room, there were unique outfits from all across the globe and they had fun trying the clothes on and posing. Parts C through F were not as fancy, but interesting nevertheless. They had no problem at all finding their way through the castle, despite the castle's largeness. However, when they completed exploring part F, a large curtain lay at the end of the hall.

"This is where the entrance to part G is supposed to be," Mytho said.

"Do you think it's behind this curtain?"

"I don't know..."

When they opened the curtain, they could do nothing but stand there, their mouths agape.


	19. Chapter 19

**Ren**

When they opened the curtain, they found that the other part of the castle was...hideous! Apparently, no one had cleaned up the rubble on this side, but it looked like it was messed up before the catastrophe. It was a disaster waiting to happen...which made it seem even more curious. Before giving Mytho a chance to object, Ren went through the curtain completely, taking her chances with the mess.

"Are you coming?"

"...Yeah."

There were tapestries all over the wall, torn and falling apart. There was something strange about this place. Like they shouldn't be there even though part G wasn't the forbidden part. They had to duck and hop over things carefully, making sure not to trip and fall.

"Did you see that," Ren exclaimed.

"See what?"

"A glowing light. It was bright red."

"No, where."

"At the very far end of the hall."

"...that's where part H starts."

Mytho and Ren looked at each other.

"What if... What if they don't want us to go over there because they're keeping a secret, but what's in there can help us with Maleficent."

"Okay."

"Are you saying you're going to go?"

"That _we're_ going to go."

"Alright, ready?"

"Yes."

 **Mytho**

When Mytho opened the door, it felt like he was drowning. Red light swam from the door through him and Ren. He tried to talk, but, just like in water, he couldn't. There was nothing to do but wait. When the light was finally gone, he stood up, only to find that his flashlight had lost it's charge.

"Hey! Are you okay," Mytho asked Ren.

He listened, but he didn't hear her voice respond. Then Mytho looked at his surroundings clearer, there were little pieces of red glass floating everywhere. It would be impossible to move without getting glass on him. So how had he managed to not get glass stuck in him?

"Ren!"

He went further into the room and started looking for her. Where did she go? Or was it that eerie light/glas? Then a blue light appeared in front of him. It dissepeared and reappeared another step in front of him. _Did it want him to follow it?_ Mytho started following the light until he got to a dark corridor, where the light dissapeared. He walked down and saw a faint red light. Down the corridor, was Ren, with what looked like hundreds of the tiny pieces of red glass stuck in her.

"Ren, are you okay?"

She was breathing, but seemed unconscious.

"Oh no."

Mytho picked her up, and she was surprising light, but as he started to turn around, he realized that the area he had come from was closed off and he would have to go a different way- and deeper into part H. Mytho walked for hours, carrying Ren, until finally, she woke up.

"Mytho?"

"You're awake! I was really worried!"

"Yeah...I'm fine.

"Good, but were lost. I have no idea where to go, and... I'm scared."

"Mytho, if there was anyone I had to be lost with , it would be you. I am certain we will find our- _ow!"_

 _"What?!"_

"My body hurts, a lot!"

"Umm, I think it's because there are tiny pieces of glass stuck all over your body."

"You think? Can you get them out?"

" _Ren,_ there are _hundreds_."

"Well, if we start now, maybe it won't take so long. I'll get the ones I can pull out and you can get my back."

"Okay."

* * *

"Okay, I think they're pretty much all out now. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, my body is still sore though, but I'll be okay."

"Well, as much as I don't want to go any deeper into this castle, we don't really have much of a choice."

"Well then. Let's get a move on shall we?"

 **Ren**

Ren's body was still extremely sore and it hurt to walk, but if they were getting out of there, she was going to have to tough it out. Then a feeling hit her. She wasn't afraid. Not of pain, of Maleficent, of anything. It was as if she had been through so much, she didn't even care anymore. She ran her fingers against the wall, daring something to hit her. Instead, she hit something- a brick protruding from the wall.

"Wait up. I felt something; something on the wall."

Ren curled her fist around the brick and pushed it as hard as she could into the wall. Within seconds, a room spun around, taking the place of where the brick was.

"Whoa..."

"I'm going in," Ren said without a second thought.

The room had a different atmosphere from the rest of the castle. It seemed...safe. And comforting. The room was small. It only consisted of a dresser, mirror, and bed.

"We should search the room for anything useful."

Ren looked in the dresser first. It had four drawers, each empty except the last. In the last, was the most beautiful ball gown Ren had ever seen before. It was turquoise- the same color as her eyes, with golden ribbon on the corset and light pink bows on the sleeve and skirt.

"Mytho... Look at this... Isn't it gorgeous?"

"Wow... It is beautiful... And I don't even really care about fashion much!"

"Do you think it would be okay if I keep it?"

"Sure, why not?"

Ren excitedly tucked the dress beneath her arm and continued searching. She decided to try the mirror next. Ren looked at her reflection and Mytho's. Something was wrong. The mirror was...strange. Ren didn't know how to explain it..it just wasn't right. Gently, Ren pushed on the mirror and it spun around. On the back was a real mirror with a note that read:

 _Keep on and right_

 _Keep on and go right? What could that possibly mean?_

 **Mytho**

There was only one more piece of furniture. The bed. Mytho took off all the sheets, lifted the mattress, but found nothing. Then it occured to him to lookunder the bed. He bent down and found a single note, with a single word.

 _forgive_


	20. Chapter 20

**Ren**

"We should probably start heading back now, right?"

"Yeah. Hopefully it will be easier to exit."

"Wait," Ren said. "Let's try the door here."

She walked over to the corner of the room where a door half the height of herself stood.

"We can squeeze through- it might just lead us back to the safe part of the castle."

"Good idea."

Myho tried to push the door open, but it wouldn't budge.

"It has to be locked or something. It won't budge in the slightest!"

"But there's no lock... Hmm..."

Ren gently felt around the door. In the top corner, her fingers brushed against a whole.

"Wait, I think I've got something. Ren looked at the spot she had just touched. It was a star-shaped hole.

"There has to be some key shaped like a star in here!"

"Are you sure it's a good idea to even open the door?"

"Who's idea was it to go exploring?"

"Who agreed?"

"Fine. But just help me find the key please?"

"Okay, okay."

Mytho and Ren searched the tiny room's floors and wall. Ren carefully examined the frame of the fake mirror. It was all a dark brown color-except for one part-a light brown star.

"Mytho! Come here! I think I found the key! It's inside the mirror frame. There must be some way we can pop it out or something."

"Okay, let's push the mirror over."

Together, they knocked it over and the mirror fell over with a large crash.

"Watch out," Mytho yelled.

He took Ren's hand and brought them behind the bed as glass flew everywhere. Ren and Mytho looked at each other wide-eyed.

"Don't go out yet."

Mytho took off his jacket and laid it on the ground.

"We're going to have to scoot on this so we won't get stabbed with a shard of glass."

"Okay."

"In fact, just let me go-you're already sore from before."

Ren watched Mytho step onto his jacket and slowly move across the floor.

"Do you see anything?"

"What color is it?"

"Light brown."

"Okay... Oh, I think I might have found it!"

Mytho picked something up and scooted back to her.

"Is this it?"

"Yeah! Okay, let's try putting it in the keyhole."

They both went over to the door and pushed it in. On cue, the door went up, into the wall, leaving them a small doorway to crawl through.

"Who wants to go first?"

"I want to," Ren responded as she started walking through the doorway.

When they had both gone through, the door came back down, closing the way they had came.

"Look! We're back in the safe part of e castle. And right by the Royal guest room too!"

"I wonder what time it is."

"We should probably just head back to our rooms and explain when everyone wakes up."

"That's a good idea. We might wake everyone up trying to get back in the room. Plus, it's locked."

"Right. So I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow then...or later today-it's definently past midnight."

"Yeah... Thanks Mytho."

"For what?"

"For saving my life."

"Which time?"

Ren laughed. "Okay, thank you for saving my life one zillion times since I have came here."

"You are welcome. I would save your life every day and catch your klutzy falls every day," Mytho said as he started to walk back to his room.

"Then I should fall more often," Ren called out.

But Ren's heart started beating faster and faster and she wished it would slow down.


	21. Chapter 21

**Danis**

Danis was starting to get worried. Both Mytho and Ren were missing. It was morning now, and their beds were empty. What was going on? A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts.

"Ren?"

"Hi, um, sorry if you were looking for me. I just decided to go sleep in my own bed."

"Oh, okay... I guess Mytho did too?"

"Yeah, we both couldn't sleep so we decided to just go to our normal rooms."

"Oh, alright. Well, Earin is still sleeping so I guess we can get a head start on the plan."

"Okay."

"Ren, look. I was thinking, we really need to stop her. Like, ASAP. We can't just sit every morning and talk about things that we will never do. We have to _do_ something. Half the kingdom has been through a catastrophe and the castle is in ruins. Ruins!"

"Danis, I _know_. We are doing everything we can!"

"No! We're not! Do you know what a shame it is to be the queen of a ruined kingdom? It's a _disgrace_! We _have_ to act!"

"Danis, I hope it's the people you are putting into consideration, _not_ the shame of having such a mess of a kingdom."

Danis face palmed herself. "It's _both_ okay?"

Ren encouragingly put her hand on Danis' back. "I know it will all be okay."

Danis sighed, frustrated. "As queen of this sorry kingdom, I order you, and the rest of the team to make a plan and take action within two weeks!"

"Danis..."

"That is an order," Danis yelled as she stormed out of the room.

 **Ren**

"What is she screaming about?"

Ren turned her head toward the voice. "Oh, you're awake. Well, you better get up and fast. We only have but a week."

'A week for what?"

"Danis is going crazy. She just ordered for us to complete a plan and take action. We have a week to plan and a week to actually do it."

"That's it? A week?!"

"Yep. Amazing, right?"

"How... She can't be serious!"

"She is. And there's no fighting it. We just need to try our best."

"How are you so on board with this plan? It's crazy!"

"Because I am done with debating and disagreeing. So done with it. And besides, we do need to finish this."

"Fine. I guess no more slumber parties and little lunch picnics, huh?"

"Nope."

"Shall we," Earin gestured toward the door.

"Yes."

 **Mytho**

Mytho was still slightly shaking from the night before. Of course he would have to come out of is room at some point, but he didn't exactly feel like moving. Perhaps it was laziness. Mytho forced himself up. When he stepped outside his door, Ren was waiting for him.

"Whoa! You startled me!"

"I'm sorry. I have to talk to you. Danis just ordered for us to make a plan, and do it within two weeks."

"What? Hold on, slow down. Danis is giving us two weeks to get rid of Malificent?"

"Yes. She has about had it. So we have to hurry, okay?"

Ren looked into his eyes, I know. It's crazy. But promise me that you will _try_."

"Okay."

 _For one week they planned. They disagreed and argued until they were finally able to agree on something. Danis watched from a distance. Trees started to erode the kingdom. Things happened. Out of the ordinary things. Some things for better, some for worse. Ren and Mytho seemed to grow even closer and trust each other even more so, Danis' cancer got worse. But a plan was, indeed, formed. And a plan is a plan. But there are other things too. Sometimes, one can think too much, sometimes too little. But you can't just think, you have to listen._


	22. Chapter 22

**Ren**

The plan was simple. She and Mytho would find a way to distract Maleficent while Danis and Ren used an ancient spell to get Maleficent out of the kingdom and gone- permanently. It was a 17-mile trek to the fairy's lair through the forest surrounding the kingdom. The forest was certain to be one of the hardest parts of the mission. The forest was filled with collapsed trees and unknown creatures of good and bad. Ren equipped her bow across her body and her arrows around her back.

"Okay, let's just review our teams before we make history," Danis announced.

"Um, shouldn't we be focusing on more important things? I think we have memorized the teams. It's just the four of us," Ren stated.

"I know, but we might need to make some adjustments."

"Why?"

"Well, I was thinking you might be better at distractions, Eaein. Maybe you and Ren should partner up instead and do distractions."

Danis was obviously trying to change the groups because she wanted to be with Mytho. This was annoying, but Ren would keep it together.

"How about the two of us partner up, Danis? We can do the spell together."

"Fine. So, I guess we should get going. Hopefully we will all survive and we can meet up at the, um, end, if we get there?"

"Sure," said Mytho. And Ren realized that was the first time he had spoken in a while.

 **Danis**

Danis was disappointed that she couldn't team up with Mytho- but this was better than Ren getting to be on a team with Mytho. Danis knew she was being selfish, but people always say that love makes you blind. The only weapon Danis had was a small crystal dagger that had been passed down for generations. She didn't plan on fighting anyone- besides, she was here to cast a spell- not join a hunting party.

"So, do you you think-"

Danis interrupted herself by her own cease of talk. A sudden burn was in her throat. Then it got worst; she was gasping for air and her vision was getting foggier and foggier. But she was able to see Ren's pupils enlarge as of if she had suddenly been exposed to something as well and pretty soon they were both counghing. The teams had decided to split directions so they couldn't get any help from Mytho or Earin.

The next thing was unpredictable- a strong wind came out of nowhere and knocked her back hard- causing her to fall unconscious.

 **Ren**

Ren grabbed on to the nearest tree and tried to resist the wind, but it was too strong for her. It lifted her up and carried her at a great speed- she had to think fast. Ren stuck out her boot and the heel snagged on a tree limb. As soon as the wind stopped, Ren fell down from the tree with a crash.

Finding everyone was going to prove to be a hard task. Ren forced herself up and grunted in pain; no doubt she had a big purple bruise on her back. Ren took out a small pocket knife to brush the vines aside as she walked. Every leaf that crunched beneath her feet sounded as loud as a siren; she must've damaged her ears during the wind.

Suddenly, she heard a crack; her head whipped around and she got her bow and arrow ready.

Out from the trees, emerged a shadowy beast with long, dropping, fangs and beady red eyes. This had to be Maleficent's doing. Who else would it be?

The creature was too big for her to try and tackle alone. She had but one shot of surviving. She ran.

 **Danis**

Danis choked as she made it to the surface of the water. She tried to remember what had happened; there was a sudden gust of wind and she had gone flying, landing into a body of water. She kicked her arms and legs frantically, but she wasn't getting anywhere, of course she wasn't getting anywhere, she couldn't swim! Princesses didn't need to learn how to swim. She coughed and choked up water, and her lungs felt as if they were on fire.

"Help! Someone! Please!"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a fallen tree. If she could just make it over there... She might have a chance at surviving if she could only paddle over to it.

she pulled together what little strength she had and doggie-paddled over to the tree. As she climbed over it, she gasped for air. Now she just needed to land and then... She didn't know what she would do. She put her arms around the tree and kicked to propel herself as to go faster. Danis could faintly see some trees in the distance. She would keep paddling until she got to land.

 **Ren**

Ren ran and ran, and then she stopped. Should she run? Or should she stay? Should she try and fight it?

"Ren!"

She turned around. It was Mytho!

"Mytho! Thank goodness!"

"I lost everyone," he said. "Earin dissapeared and, of course, I didn't see you or Danis."

"I lost Danis, too. There was a gust of wind and we flew; I don't know where Danis went, but whever I landed, there- there was this monster of some sort and-"

"Wait. Slow down. What? What do you mean a monster?"

"I saw it! Maleficent must have put it there!"

"Okay, okay. Where was it?"

"If you were to run straight down that way..."

"Okay. So we won't go that way. But we'll keep going, even if we have to go without them."

"Well what do we do? We don't even know where she is."

"We do it our way of course."


	23. Chapter 23

**Mytho**

It was just Ren and him, now. The others were missing. They didn't know where they were, nor where they should go. They just kept walking. The only thing they knew was that they had all been doing everything wrong. To kill Maleficent would just be evil, they didn't want to hurt her. They knew that what they really needed to do was forgive her- and all the wrongs she did.

 _Besides_ , Mytho thought. _Without her, I probably wouldn't have met Ren._

Mytho glanced over at Ren. Her face looked even paler than usual and there were deep shadows under her eyes.

"Hey; are you okay," he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You don't look okay."

"I just cut myself, is all."

"Cut yourself? Where?"

Mytho walked over to examine her cut. It was a deep slit in her arm and there was a kind of black liquid oozing out.

"What is that black stuff?"

Ren kept walking and didn't respond. _She must be sick,_ Myho thought. What could he do? What would cure her?

 _Please help me,_ he asked God.

"Ren, slow down for a minute."

She didn't stop.

He ran up to her, and grabbed her by the arms.

"Ren! Listen to me! Snap out of it.!"

She remained unfazed.

Mytho glanced around. He could make out a body of water between the trees. Maybe if he was able to get her in the water and clean the gash, she would get better. He picked her up, and she sat lifelessly in his arms.

 _C'mon,_ he thought to himself. _Just a few more steps._

When he got to the water, he threw her in, and jumped in after her. Ren paddled to the surface coughing and gagging.

"Are you okay," he asked.

"What? Why are we in the water? How did we get here?"

Mytho swam over to her and hugged her.

"Thank goodness! I was so worried about you! How is your cut?"

"What cut," she asked.

Mytho looked to see that the gash had dissapeared. Maleficent was clearly playing tricks on them.

"Never mind that. Let's get a move on."

 **Danis**

Danis sat on the rock. She had been out of the water for a few hours now. She glanced down at her leg, for it was unusually stinging with pain. She gasped as she looked down; she must have had wounded herself. Her leg had a deep gash with black and red ooze coming out. _I need a doctor._ But there was no one to help her.

Danis glanced around. She saw some vines, leaves, branches, and of course, dirt, on the forest ground. With great effort, she painfully got up and picked up what she could use. She wet the largest leaf she could find in the lake mad gently set it on her wound. Next, she took the vine and tightened around her leg to put pressure on the wound and hold the leaf in place; she had to clench her teeth together from screaming from the pain. Using a tall branch, she got herself up once again and started walking.

 _I can do this. I just took care of my injury and now I have a cane that I can use to walk around. I will keep walking until I find someone and until then everything will be fine. And of course, my cancer will probably be effected by all of this but nothing a queen can't handle._

 **Ren**

"When all of this is over, what are you going to do," Ren asked.

"I don't know. I guess I never thought about it. Keep working for politics, I guess. And help rebuild the kingdom. What about you?"

"Well... I don't know. Maybe I'll ask Danis to let me stay in the castle. I don't really have anywhere else to go."

"Of course she will let you stay! You are a princess after all! I don't think that will change even after all of this."

"Hmm," Ren said thoughtfully.

They walked in silence. There seemed to be nothing say, for all the words were in the air.

Ren saw something brownish-yellow out of the corner of her eye.

"Hey! What is that?"

They walked over to it. It was a small sheet of paper with tiny cursive writing on it.

"Is it... A poem?"

"I think."

 _Lost, Lost, Lost._

 _I wish not, but so tis true._

 _Of all the many, many things,_

 _Lost, Lost, Lost._

 _Simple, Simple, True, and True._

"How ironic," Mytho said. "Since we're kind of lost."

"Ha ha. So what do you think it means?"

"Um, they're lost, we're lost, we're all lost?"

"Well yeah. But maybe it's not talking about a person that is lost somewhere, but a feeling that's lost."

"Anything on the back?"

Ren spun the paper over. On the back, was a scribbled, black mess. Ren squinted her eyes and looked carefully at the sketch.

"There's a heart drawn in there? Do you see it?"

Mytho squinted his eyes and examined the paper. "Yeah, I do."

"So someone lost the feeling to love, I suppose."

"Probably the poet."

"Or whoever the poet is talking about."

"Someone heartless."

"Like..."

"Maleficent," they said simultaneously.

"Whoever wrote this must have seen Maleficent some way or another if he took the time to write a poem about how heartless she is."

"So the poet should still be out her, right? Somewhere?"

"Are you saying this guy lives in the woods."

"Well..."

"Creepy woods?"

"Not my first choice either, but it doesn't seem like he was planning on leaving anytime soon."

"Did you hear that," Mytho asked.

"Hear what?"

"I heard a rustle."

"What are you tal-"

Before Ren could finish, someone came up behind her and she could feel cold metal around her throat.

"Why are you here," the person demanded.

"Let her go," Mytho said.

"Answer the question!"

"Not until you let her ago!" Ren watched Mytho struggle to find his pocketknife.

"Look kid," the man said.

"I don't want to hurt you guys, but if you have anything to do with her..."

"With who?!"

"You know who."

"... Maleficent?"

"Yeah, who else lives in these woods?"

"I'm not telling you anything until you let her go!"

The stranger loosened his grip on her neck and let her go.

"Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine, my throat is a bit sore, is all."

"Did you write this," Mytho said as he held up the paper.

The man snatched it out of his hands. "I was looking for that."

"Now tell me what you kids are doing out here!"

They looked at each other.

"Should we," Ren whispered. "Or we could always just run. I'm certain we could outrun him."

"I don't know. He might have some information on Maleficent that could help us."

"Okay, but we don't tell him _everything_. I mean, he did just hold a knife up to my neck," Ren murmured.

 **Mytho**

"Thank you for your help, sir, but we really must get going," Ren told the man.

"Of course. I wish you both the best of luck on your journey."

"Wait," the man yelled. Mytho watched as he pressed the crumpled poem into Ren's hand.

"If you ever do see her, give her this. Maybe it will change her heart."

"And you," the old man spoke again, but this time speaking to Mytho. "Be careful- Maleficent can play many tricks in these woods. And watch her," he said glancing over at Ren.

"I think I can handle myself, thank you though," she said.

"I think not," Mytho teasingly smiled at her.

Now that they knew the way, getting to Maleficent's castle was going to be a lot easier. The man said he lived about a good three hours away from her castle so the plan was to keep walking straight until they got there.

"Wait," Mytho started.

"What?"

"So how did you get to Maleficent's castle before?"

"I fell through a mud puddle."

"How?"

"What do you mean how? I stepped through a puddle that just so happened to be some kind of portal or- I don't know! How am I supposed to know?!"

"I'm just trying to piece together the puzzle."

"Okay..."

"We can't keep walking. We need to camp. If we stay at this pace, it will be midnight by the time we reach the castle. I don't think we want to be walking around here at midnight."

"I don't think we want to be sleeping around here, either," Mytho countered. "Let's just start running. Maybe we'll get there in an hour."

"Okay. One, two three!"

They ran for twenty whole minutes before they were out of breath. They might have tried to run some more if it wasn't for the rushing stream that blocked their path.

"What do we do," Ren asked.

"Umm, swim?"

"Yeah, sure. We can totally swim across that."

"Well what do you expect us to do? Make a bridge?" Mytho could tell from Ren's face that she did.

They gathered vine and branches and made the best bridge they could.

"You should test it since you were the one that wanted to do it," Mytho joked.

"Fine."

"I'm kidding. Let's both go."

Together they took the first step on the bridge. It held. Another step. The bridge sorted to shake. One more. The bridge collapsed causing them both ro fall. Mytho quickly grabbed onto a rock. Ren did too on the opposite side.

"My hands are slipping," she yelled.

"Hold on! I'll find a way to help you!"

Mytho climbed on top of the Rock and jumped back onto land. He looked for more vine- the vine was proving to be quite useful. When he came back, Ren as gone. He looked through the trees on the opposite side, but didn't see her. There was only one way she could have gone. Mytho jumped into the stream and let it carry him.

 **Ren**

Ren washed up on a gloomy looking plot of grass. She coughed up the water she had swallowed and struggled to get herself up. How was she going to find Mytho? She decided that she would look for Mytho before she continued her search for Maleficent. To her surprise, Mytho washed up behind her within a minute or two, looking much better than she felt.

"Mytho," she cried. "Did you follow me?"

"Yes," he said as he got himself up. "I wasn't just going to let you end up somewhere alone."

"Thank you, Mytho. Really."

"Let's keep going, right? Hopefully we will get there soon."

Before they knew it, they were standing rot in front of the castle, just a few feet away from the entrance.

Ren sucked in in a deep breath. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

 **Danis**

Danis could see the forest through the trees; she thought she could see two people walking in as well. Danis did not know how long she could go on. Her head ached, she was dirty, and had shortness of breath. The forest had, indeed, done her no good. She still had many yards to cross before she would get to the castle. How would she make it? She had to help them, of course. She had to figure things out.


	24. Chapter 24

**Ren**

When they opened the door, they found themselves in the throne room. To the right was a fireplace with fire ablaze. Their footsteps were hard against the thick, wood floor.

They looked at each other, both unsure of what to do.

Footspeps came. Louder and louder, closer and closer.

The door opened and Earin came out.

"Earin?!" They asked simultaneously.

"How long have you been here?" Mytho asked.

"Have you seen the evil fairy yet?"

"What evil fairy?"

"Earin, what do you mean what evil fairy?"

"The evil fairy is dead," he said.

"You- you _killed_ her?"

"No, no, of course not. She's been dead for like twenty years now."

"Earin!" Mytho yelled. "What are you talking about?!"

"The evil queen has been dead this whole time," he said. "She never was here."

"But-"

Ren gasped. "It was you."

"Took you long enough, but yes it was me this whole time. When you were walking to the well, you _did_ make it to the well but you drank poisoned water, causing you to think you saw everything you think you saw. _I w_ as the one that made you princess. _I did it all._ "

"But," Ren began. "Why?"

"What better way to rule the world then destroy it?"

"I suppose you intend on getting rid of us, then? Are you going to kill us?!"

Earin turned to Mytho. "Well, Mytho would be an obstacle, indeed."

Ren and Mytho's eyes widened.

"Yes, indeed. But I will worry about that later. Ren, though..."

Earin stepped closer to Ren. "Ren... I would like for you to... Be my... Queen."

"What?!" Mytho shouted. "Why would either of us want to have anything to do with you!"

"Mytho! I don't think I asked you!" Earin stepped closer to Mytho and took out a knife. He held it up to Mytho's throat. There are very few reasons why I have not killed you already."

Mytho looked him dead in the eye and for a moment the two of them silently argued with each other.

Ren stepped forward and declared, "I would never, _ever_ marry you! As soon as I met you I instantly despised you!"

"Hmm. Well I remember you having a bit of a crush on me, no?"

"How did you know that," Ren gasped. "But you cannot fault me for that. All glass is beautiful until it breaks."

Mytho held out his hand for Ren and she took it. "I promise I will always be there for you," he said.

"I know you will and it couldn't make me happier."

"Ren," Earin began. "Listen to me." He reached for her arm mad shook it.

"Can you imagine it? Tons and tons of gold and jewels. I would get you millions of dresses!"

"If you destroy the world, there won't be any riches left! Not that I care about such things anyways."

"Earin," said Mytho. "Let her go."

Earin tightened the knife's grip on Mytho's throat. A stream of blood trickled down.

 **Danis**

Danis peered inside. She had finally reached the entrance. She was short of breath and wasn't sure how much longer she could take it. She looked at the things she held in her hand. A note that read:

 _With permission of the Queen,_

 _Ren, as selected, will immediately become the new queen as this inheritance is instantly accepted._

 _And as though signs,_

 _Danis Willingmire_

Also in her hand was a vine. A vine attached to a vine attached to a vine, and attached to more vines which held on to a great, fallen tree.

 **Ren**

Ren reached over and got a vase to knock Earin on the head with, but he slapped it out of her hand. As he let go of her arm in the process, she twisted her leg and kicked his shin.

"Ren!" Mytho shouted. "Here!"

Mytho handed her a tiny slip of paper. It read:

 _Keep on right._

Ren looked to the right and saw the fireplace. Quickly, she took a metal spear that hung on the wall, and burned the tip in the fire.

Ren walked back over to Earin and Mytho. Mytho's hands were wrapped around Earin's throat and Eaein's knife had cut Mytho some more; a flood of blood down his neck. She could see the tears in his eyes, and it made _her_ wanted to cry. Ren held the hot metal up to Earin's face.

"Let him go. Now."

Earin let go of the knife, but kept his stance.

 **Mytho**

The main doors to the castle opened wide and loud. A skinny girl covered in dirt with auburn hair walked in with a note and a vine. She stood right behind Earin, threw the mysterious note at Ren, and yanked the vine hard.

A few seconds went by. Then an enormous tree fell down, louder than loud, smothering both Danis and Earin.

Both Mytho and Ren stood still for minutes, paralyzed. Then Ren raced to Danis.

Mytho watched as Ren struggled to Pisa the tree, but it wouldn't budge. He joined in to help her, but the tree still stayed. Eventually, tired, they both collapsed beside each other. They looked at each other and laughed and cried and kissed. What a year it had, indeed, been.

Finally, Ren walked over to the note and picked it up. She gasped.

"What?!" Mytho asked.

"She has ordered me to be the new queen of the kingdom!"

"That's amazing," Mytho cried as he raced over to pick her up.

"I don't know. Would I make a good queen?"

"Better than any other."

She smiled and Mytho knew that he wanted to see that smile forever.


	25. Happily Ever After

**Ren**

Ren looked at Mytho, and was instantly charmed. He was wearing the best suit they could find (there was barely a single person in the whole kingdom and most of the shops had gotten blown up or devoured in an earthquake), and they couldn't find a tie, but he looked perfectly charming to Ren. They had no priests, no guests, no church, not a single thing that a normal wedding had, but they were completely happy, nevertheless.

"Will you be with me forever," he asked her.

"Until and after I die."

"And I the same."

With that, Mytho swept Ren off her feet and kissed her and they were quite happy. Quite, quite happy.

 **Mytho**

Ren's dress was not a typical wedding dress. In fact, it wasn't a wedding dress at all. She was wearing the beautiful dress she had found back when they were exploring the castle that time. Mytho missed that time. It was filled with the innocence and curiosity that a 17-year old could have, along with adventure, but best of all, the four of them had all gotten along at that time.

Now, they were both 18, and both had a fallen kingdom to worry about. But Mytho knew that he would go through everything all over again for Ren.

 _Now, the young King and Queen were very confused as what to do, but, they, soon, would rebuild their kingdom into one of the greatest of the world. And as for them, they would become the greatest King and Queen that ever lived, for they would always put others before themselves, and they would quarrel very times. And that is, after all, what matters most. Love._

The End was of their past life, but not of this one.


End file.
